~Ch.3~

*Wednesday*

No one mourns the wicked!

Now at last, she's dead and gone!

Now at last, there's joy throughout the land

And goodness knows

We know what goodness is

Goodness knows

The wicked die alone~

I rolled over and turned off my alarm. I immediately got out of my bed and began my morning workout routine before getting ready for school. After getting ready I descended the stairs and greeted both my dad's in the kitchen. "Morning" I spoke while making some oatmeal.

"Morning hun." Leroy said still tired from yesterday.

"You okay? You look a little down. You still thinking about what I said yesterday" Hiram asked feeling guilty.

"I am fine. Upon thinking about your words and my relationship with Finn I have come to the conclusion that it would be beneficial to both of us if we decided to see other people, but remain good friends." I said confidently. Both my fathers smiled.

"So he took it well then?" Leroy asked doubtfully.

"I haven't talked to him yet... I plan to today, but once he here's me out and I explain why then I am positive he will be just as accepting of it as I am." I smiled. Hiram and Leroy both looked at each other doubtfully. "What?" I asked. "Finn is a person of reason. He will understand that my love for him is not in the romantic sense, but more of a friend. I am sure he will feel the same too."

"Sure he will." Leroy said sarcastically. I crossed my arms.

"I am right! I will prove it! Finn will be perfectly fine. He will take it well and be glad that we're friends." Hiram let out a laugh.

"Enough debate you too. Rachel has school and you and I have work." He said handing Leroy the keys.

"You two gonna be working late again?" I asked.

"Unfortunately yes. We're gonna be working a lot of overtime the next few weeks and might have to start going in earlier. Will you be okay?" Leroy asked concerned. I gave him a comforting smile.

"No problem. I will miss you two since I wont see you much, but I'm almost 18. I can take of myself."

"NO! Our little berry is growing up too fast." Hiram said dramatically, hugging his daughter.

"Dad!" I whined. Leroy smiled and put the dishes in the sink.

"Alright, lets go." I nodded and grabbed my bag. When we arrived at the school I got out and waved my fathers good-bye. ' Gonna be pretty lonely with them working late and early... I wonder if it wouldn't be too much trouble to have Quinn over Saturday night. ' I thought while walking to my locker. As I was getting out a few books I saw Finn walk my way looking depressed. One look at him and my heart dropped. ' How does he know? ' I asked myself. ' Was it that obvious what I was thinking yesterday? '

"Hey Finn... What's wrong?" I asked hoping not to hear the answer I was thinking he would respond with.

"It's just... I thought I was bonding with Kurt's dad ever since him and my mom got married, but he just hired someone to work at the auto-repair. It was something we did together y'know? Like a father and son thing." I felt a pang of guilt. ' I can't tell him now... '

"Maybe he just needs help from someone with more experience." I said attempting to cheer him up.

"He could teach me! Plus I heard the person he hired is our age. They start today."

"I'm sorry Finn... Don't worry. I'm sure he's not trying to hurt you. He probably just doesn't have the time to teach someone right now." He smiled.

"Your probably right Rach. Thanks, you always know what to say."

"No problem..." I responded. Then the bell rang.

"See you later Rach." He said smiling as he left. I let out a sigh and walked to my first class. Before long it was already lunch time. I walked to the auditorium for some more practice. I was taking out some sheet music when someone caught my attention.

"Hey Rachel..." Shelby started.

"If your here to convert me into your second Glee club let me tell you now it will not work. My loyalty lies with Mr. Schuester and the other kids in Glee." I spoke interrupting her.

"That's not why I came here." She said.

"Then... What is it?" I asked slowly.

"Rachel... It wasn't right for me to do what I did. I.. I want us to start over." She said. I immediately felt a surge of anger.

"You want what?"

"To start ov-"

"I heard you. The answer is NO." I replied coldly.

"Rachel please-"

"No! I wanted to get to know you... I wanted to learn who my mother was. I TRIED! And you didn't want to! You don't get a second chance!" I yelled tears welling up in my eyes.

"Rachel I was scared. It felt-"

"You were scared? I lived my life without a mother! I finally found her because she came looking for me AND THEN SHE SAID SHE DIDN'T WANT ME! Again she gave up on me... I can't go through that again." I yelled. Then I ran out of the auditorium in tears. My legs automatically carried my to the girls bathroom since I was so used to going there after getting slushie'd. As I entered I immediately bumped into someone and fell back. "I'm sorry... I should have been looking where I was going." I said wiping my tears away. ' Last thing I need is someone else to make this worse... '

"No.. it was my fault." The person said offering a hand to help me up. I looked to see if it was a cheerio just messing with me and it was the new girl. "Are you okay?" She asked helping me up.

"Yes. I'm fine." I said brushing off my skirt.

"You sure?" She asked concerned. "You seem really upset... There anything I can do?"

"No, but thank you... Isabella right?" I asked. She nodded. "Thanks but I'll be fine."

"Alright..." She said still concerned. "See you later then." She said as she left. ' I hardly see her around school... I wonder if she has any friends... we should try and make her feel more comfortable here. I know how hard it is not to have any friends. ' I thought. I took few breaths and walked back into the hallway deciding to get my sheet music after school. Today was turning out to be a really bad day and I really just wanted it to end. After my last class I decided against going to the Glee dance class. ' I can't stand to see Finn right now... He's upset and I can't break the news to him. Quinn will know somethings wrong if she see's me upset and I don't want her to think she can't rely on me to help her when she sees Beth. She wont want me to help her if she knows about Shelby...' I slowly walked home with Kurt seeing as he decided to skip Glee dance for the day.

"Oh my God, you have GOT to see the new issue of the magazine. I simply can not believe you haven't yet! I'll let you borrow it. Let me just tell my dad I'm home then we'll go to my room and I can give it to you. Then we can talk about our plans for our apartment after we both get into the New York Academy of the Dramatic Art" Kurt spoke excitedly.

"Alright." I smiled. It was nice to get my mind off of school and have one of Kurt and I's famous future talks about how to design the apartment we get when we move to New York. We walked into his dad's workshop and heard him working on a car in back.

"Dad?" Kurt half yelled as he walked in back. I followed him into the back. "Hello?"

"Hm?" Isabella asked pulling her headphones out and getting out from under a car she was working on. "Your dad went out to pick up groceries. He told me to tell you he'd be back in about an hour." She said.

"Okay... Your the new person he hired?" Raising an eyebrow. She smirked.

"Yes. I may not seem it, but I am a pretty good mechanic." She said grabbing a car part and sliding back under the car. Kurt shrugged and lead the way to his room.

"Think we should invite her to hang out with us?" I asked.

"She's working Rachel." Kurt responded laughing.

"I meant at school. I haven't seen her with anyone else. You and I both know what it's like not to have any friends... I just think since she's in the Glee club and all we should make her feel welcome." He nodded.

"True... We managed to get Tina to come out of her shell. Should be able to get her to come out of her shell. OH MY GOD! We should have a sleepover!" I laughed.

"Is that your solution to everything? A slumber party."

"Do not mock me Rachel Berry. Come on. A slumber party with ALL of the Glee members. Teenage games like truth or dare. Perfect thing to help her feel more comfortable around us."

"Alright then." I smiled. It also sounded like a great idea to distract me from what's been going on. "I'll ask Quinn if we can have one at her place Saturday."

"Sounds like a plan." Kurt smiled. I then quickly sent a text to Quinn.

-Hey, Kurt and I want to have a Glee club sleepover. Can we do it at your place? -Rachel.

A few minutes later I got a response.

- Sure, mom's out of town this weekend. Saturday my place around... 3 ish? But your helping me go shopping for snacks and what not. No health food crap. -Quinn

-Alright :) And for your information Quinn that "health food crap" is nutrition your body needs. I will not be held responsible for malnourishment of the Glee club! -Rachel

-Kill joy. :D -Quinn

I smiled at the joke, then put my phone away.

"What she say?" Kurt asked.

"She said to tell everyone to be there Saturday at around 3."

"Yay!" Kurt said excitedly.

"So how are you and Blaine doing?" I asked.

"Great! He's so kind-" Kurt went on and on about him and his boyfriend. I was really happy for Kurt but at the same time depressed that things weren't at all the same with Finn and I. A little while later Finn arrived home and the three of us hung out and talked for awhile. I was thankful to have Kurt there because it gave me the chance to avoid talking to Finn about us. A little over an hour later I looked at the clock to see how late it was.

"I should get going before it gets late." I said getting up. Kurt looked at the clock.

"My how the time flies with good company! I forgot to call Blaine!" He said panicking. I let out a small laugh.

"Kurt I am sure he will forgive you." I said. He was already dialing his number.

"You sure you have to go Rach?" Finn asked. I felt guilty. ' I should have done it already... Now it will make things awkward at the party... '

"I'm sure, but I'll see you tomorrow Finn."

"Alright, see you tomorrow." I walked back upstairs and gave my good-byes to the parents and started on my way home. As I was walking Isabella rolled next to me on her skateboard.

"Hey... Rachel right?" She asked.

"Yes. You just get off work?"

"Yeah."

"So... you live in this direction?"

"Yeah, my dad and I just moved in not far from here. And you?"

"I live with my dads only a few blocks away." I responded. ' I wonder... what about her mom? ' I thought but didn't ask. She nodded indifferently. "So, why did you decide to join Glee as Mr. Schue's assistant?"

"I'm not a singer..." She said looking down. "I needed to join a club and the only other place I could have gone was the cheerio's. No offense to your friend but its just not something I would be interested in." I laughed. She let out a slight smile. "What?"

"I can tell. You don't seem like the cheer leader type." I giggled trying to picture her in a cheerio uniform. "Well, even though you don't sing your still a member of Glee. We're having a sleep over at Quinn's Saturday. Your more then welcome to come." I smiled.

"No thanks. Sleep overs aren't really my thing." She said.

"Aww come on. Please?" I said pouting. She looked at me and smiled.

"Why do you want me to go? You hardly know me. For all you know I could be massive kill joy." I laughed.

"I am already the party kill joy. Plus, you need to open up a little and make some friends." She smiled.

"I see. Who says you're the type of people I'd WANT to be friends with?"

"I say we are." I said confidently. "The Glee club is like a family and your part of it now. Sooner you get used to it the better." She was silent a moment.

"I guess I have no choice then." She said. "Might as well get used to you guys sooner or later."

"You wont regret it!" I said excited.

"Too late for that. Already do." She said playfully. I laughed.

"Well this is my house. I guess I'll see you tomorrow Isabella." I smiled.

"See you tomorrow Rachel." She said as she rolled off on her board. I walked into my house and started dinner. For some odd reason I felt happier despite what had happened today. I had almost forgotten about my run in with Shelby earlier that day. After dinner I quickly did my homework and worked on a list of songs to choose from for our Glee assignment. After practicing a few I decided to go to bed and choose the song I would perform another day. I closed my eyes and slowly drifted asleep.

*meanwhile*

Isabella's POV:

"See you tomorrow Rachel." I said as I rolled off. ' I wonder why she's acting so nice to me... ' I thought to myself. I felt better though. ' She's so cute when she smiles. ' I thought to myself. I quickly shook my head to rid myself of that thought knowing she had a boyfriend. After awhile I finally arrived home. I let out a long sigh and entered the house not knowing what to expect today.

"It's dark out, where te hell ya been?" He slurred. I immediately cringed.

"I had work..." I responded walking to my room.

"Work? Then where's your pay?"

"I don't get paid till next Friday. I get paid every other Friday." He grabbed my arm at that response.

"Don't lie to me! I bet your spending all of it! Your nothing but a selfish bitch." I tore my arm away from him.

"And your nothing but a useless drunk." I responded. He hit me hard and I fell grabbing the side of my face next to my eye.

"HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME THAT WAY?" He yelled kicking me in the stomach. "I am the only family you got. THE ONLY ONE WHO WILL EVER CARE ABOUT YOU! Don't forget it." He snarled walking away. I was about to make another sarcastic remark but decided against. The bruise by my eye would be hard enough to hide. I didn't need another. I slowly got up and made it to my room and collapsed on my bed. I slightly lifted up my shirt to see a bruise already forming on my stomach. ' Shit... ' I thought. ' The other one will be just as bad. ' After a few minutes I grabbed my books and did my homework. After I did I laid back on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I felt tears stinging in my eyes, but refused to let myself cry. ' I can't... keep this up much longer...' Once again needing relief from the pain I felt inside I grabbed my razor and quickly made a few deep cuts across my arm. I let out a sigh of relief. After making a few more cuts I started to feel slightly light headed. I knew my cuts were too deep but that didn't stop me. After a few more minutes I bandaged my arms up, got under my covers and put my headphones on. I let my eyes drift close and I eventually fell asleep.